Penang urges landowners to seek clarification on quit rent rates as appeals open

LANDOWNERS in Penang with concerns over the newly revised 2026 quit rent rates have been advised to engage directly with their respective district and land offices to obtain clarification or submit appeals where necessary.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the same advice also applies to elected representatives, including Members of Parliament and state assemblymen, if questions arise regarding the revised taxation framework.

He explained that the new land tax rates are determined using four principal criteria: the classification of land as either urban or rural, the size of the landholding, its current usage, and the applicable tax rate.

"The state government continuously monitors issues faced by affected landowners from time to time, and improvements will be made to the implementation guidelines as well as the appeal process to help all parties adapt to the new ecosystem," he said in a statement.

Chow added that the outcomes of appeals submitted to district and land offices would be announced following the next meeting of the State Executive Council.

"I will announce the outcome of the appeal cases received by the District and Land Offices after the State Executive Council meeting next week," he said.

The Penang government also introduced a nominal land tax rate of RM50 per lot for all government and private schools in the state beginning in January. Chow called on school managements to visit the relevant land offices to update land-use information so they can qualify for the concessionary rate.

Earlier, the Chief Minister said the revised land tax calculation introduced under the 2026 review was designed to be more equitable and transparent, removing distinctions between First Grade and non–First Grade landowners.

The revision of land tax rates and the reclassification of rural land to urban status across the state were implemented in accordance with Section 101 of the National Land Code, which came into force on January 1.

The exercise affects nearly 370,000 land titles throughout Penang and covers a wide range of categories and uses, including residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural land as well as other special classifications.- March 7, 2026